Fire-alarm system



110.750,013; PATBNTED JAN. 19, 1904.,

L. G. WooLLEY. PIRE ALARM SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FLED JULY B. 1903.

EIO MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHIIIET 1; .p11-1. I /I/f- /ofL l 'f//' 2- 1046 l Jo l l l/x A /06c 7 106x IH ooo@ Go@ ,113 6 12.6%, Woolley m: msnm: crans co, nuoro-Lm.. wAsnmoToN. o. c.

No. 750,013.- f v PATENTBD-JAN-19, 1904. L. G. wooLLBY. PIRE ALARM SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6. 1903.

A Won/VE ya,

No. 750,013.l i PATENTBD JAN. 19, 1904. L. G. WOOLLBY. FIRE ALARM SYSTEM.-

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 6. 1903.

NO MODEL. 4 SHBBTS-SEEBT 3.

n mi?.

v l N VEN TUI? L,.a.w00zzey 1n: wams Firms co, vnraumo., WASHINGTON. o. c.

* PATENTED JAN. 19, 1904. L. G. WOOLLBY. FIRE ALARM SYSTEM.'

APP'LwATioN FILED JULY e. 1903.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Lm MODEL.

mvmvrofr I L. 61V, WoOZVZey f UNITED STATES Patented January 19, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

LEOIDAS G. IOOLLEY, OF KENTON, OHIO,.ASSIGNOR TO- ASA OOONEY, Y OF KENTON, OHIO.

FIRE-ALARM SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 750,013, dated January 19, 1904.

Original application led April 27, 1903, Serial No. 154,549. Divided and this application filed July 6, 1903. Serial No. 164,457.

\ '(No model.) l

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, LEONIDAs G. WooLLEY, residing at Kenton, in the county of Hardin and State of'Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Alarm Systems, of which the following is a specilication.

My present invention relates to fire-alarm systems in which a common annunciator meehanism having an independently-operated signal-setting and alarm-striking device forms an essential part; and this invention is a divisional application of my copending application for iire-alarm mechanisms filed April 27, 1903, Serial No. 154,549. l

This invention seeks to provide means whereby independent alarm-circuits are used having a common annunciator mechanism at a fire-station which is adapted to be set in operation from either of the alarm-circuits and which as soon as set in operation will cut out all of the alarm-circuits during the striking of the particular alarm for the circuit which sets the annunciator eration. f

In its more subordinate features my invention consists in certain novel structural combinations and detail arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter fully explained, and

speciically pointed out in the appended claims,Y

reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view 'of my invention, parts being broken away. Fig. 2 is a cross-section thereof on the line 2 2 and looking in the direction of the arrow 1, the parts being in their normal positions. Figs. 3 and Li'are similar views taken' on. the line 3 3 Vof Fig. 1` and looking in the direction of the arrow 1, the parts being in their operative pos'ition.` Fig. 5 is a cross-section taken practically on line 5 5 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrow 2, the parts being in their normal positions. Fig/6 is a similar view, the parts being in their operative position. Figs. 7 and 8 are detail perspective views of parts hereinafter referredto. l Figs. 9 and 10 are detail views, hereinafter referred to. Fig. 11 is an enlarged cross .section of mechanism in opthe circuit cut-out, and Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic view of several alarm-circuits.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals and letters of reference indicate like `parts in all of the figures, A designates a drive and controlling mechanism mounted upon a suitable base 10 and consisting of a drive-motor having a casing 11, including a stout flat coil-spring 12 of the clockspring type, which is fastened at one end to the motor-casing and at the 'other end in any ordi-y nary manner to the shaft 13. The shaft 13 runs through side walls 11 11b of the motorcasing and is mounted to turn in suitable bearings in the standards.. 14.14", secured to the base 10 and suitably braced by cross-bars 15 15, ars-shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Pivotally mounted upon the upper cross-bar 15 and engaging the ratchet-teeth 17 of the ratchet 17, which is xedly secured to the shaft 13, is av pawl 16, which serves to holdy the spring. 13 in position when wound.

18 designates abracket mounted upon standards 14, to which is secured a iat spring 19, held in engagement with the pawl 16 to hold the pawl in engagement with the ratchet-teeth 178L of theratchet 17.

7 The shaft-13 has a squared portion 13b, to

vpoint of the weight to near its outer end and with which the stud'30 on the side wall. 11a of the casing 11 cooperates. Upon the opposite face of the Weight is a short stud 24, the purpose 'of which will be hereinafter'more fully explained. i

Mounted in the pendent portion-25 of the bracket 2O is a short shaft 26, which carries at one end a crank-arm 27 and at .the other end a latch 28, which latch is adapted under predetermined conditions to engage with the oted to the bracket 29, secured to the standard 14, which trip also has a stud-engaging portion 32 for cooperating with the stud 33, carried on the side wall 11a of the motor-casing.

Mounted in bearings on the standards 14 14a is a long shaft 35, which carries a series of suitably-spaced number-wheels 40 and a pinion 34, which meshes with a gear 34 on the motor-casing, the radius of the pinion 34 being about one-'third that of the gear 34a on the motor-casing. (See Figs. l, 2, 3, and 4.)

36 37 designate bearings, one of which, 36, is secured directly to the base 10 and the other is formed upon one of the standards 54e. These bearings carry a shaft 50, upon which is secured at suitable intervals a series of finger members 51, having a fiat spring portion 52 for engaging the lugs 53 on the ratchetdisk 54 for the purpose presently to appear. Near the drive mechanism the shaft 50 carries an arm 55, having a V-shaped cam portion 56 at its lower end and an enlarged portion 57 at its bearing end, into which is screwed a rod 58, carrying a balance-weight 59. A short crank 60, operatively connected to the crank 27 by the rod 61, is secured to the shaft 50 adjacent the arm 55 and with which a flat spring 62 engages to hold the crank from un.

due vibration. Another long shaft or rod 65, carrying at one end an elongated arm 66, is mounted in bearings 63 64, and the rod 65 between the standards 14 14 and on one side of the motor-casing 11 carries a rigid finger 69, and on the other side of the motor-casing the shaft 65 carries a spring-finger 67, the rigid finger 69 being adapted to be engaged by the lug 24 of the weight 21, while the lug 68 on the side wall of the motor-casing 11 normally engages the spring-finger 67 to hold the shaft 65 and its arm 66 in their normal positions.

7 0 designates a governor mechanism, which includes a gear 71, mounted upon an extension 35 of the shaft 35, which imparts motion through gears 72 73 and pinions 74 75 to the shaft 76, which carries the governor proper and the stopping-disk. The governor proper consists of av bracket 77, secured to a shaft 76 and adapted to rotate therewith. To the bracket 77 is fulcrumed a pair of weight members 78, held to their normal positions by the spring 79, and the members 78 include portions 80 for engaging with the collar 81, loosely mounted upon the shaft 76 and carrying a fly-wheel 82, as shown. The iiy-wheel 82, when the mechanism is in operation, is adapted to frictionally engage the disk 83 on the shaft 84, and thereby prevent undue speeding of the apparatus By reference to Figs. 10 and 12 it will be seen that I secure a metallic disk 85 and a collar 86 upon the shaft 76. Between the collar too sudden stopping of the machine.

86 and the disk 85 is loosely mounted a second disk 87, which has a rim 88, having an integrally-formed radial lug 88, with which the end 66 of the arm 66 is adapted to engage when the machine is at rest. 89 designates a coil-spring arranged between the collar 86 and the disk 87 to hold the said disk 87 in tight frictional engagement with the disk 85, this arrangement of parts being essential to prevent the breaking off of the lug 88 by the The disk 87 by its being loosely mountedupon the shaft 7 6 will give somewhat, and the machinewill be brought to a stop by reason of the frictional engagement between the said disk 87 and the disk 85.

I provide a series of magneto-motors, one for each alarm-circuit, each of which consists of permanent steel magnets 90, between the pole-piece 91 of which is mounted for oscillatory movement an armature 92 of vany approved construction. To prevent the armature 92 from making a complete revolution, I provide a pin 93, secured to the armature and passing through an aperture 94 in the guardplate 95. (See Fig. 5.) Upon one arm of the armature-shaft is secured an arm 97, to which is pivoted a pair of pawls 98 99, which pass through the guides 100on each standard 54c and which are normally held in engagement with the ratchet-disks 54 by springs 98u 98h, secured each to their respective pawls and to the bracket 8, mounted ou the supplemental base 9.

The ratchet-wheel 54 has a projecting portion 54, carrying a friction-roller 54h, which when the disk 45 is in its normal position engages with the fiat portion 42L of the numberwheel-straddling pawls 42, (see Fig. 5,) and the ratchet-disk shaft 54c passes through bearings 541 on the standards 54e, and the said shafts each carry at the ends opposite the ratchetdisk an arm 54f, to which is pivotally secured a rod 54g, which car-ries a weight 54h at its lower end. When the pawls 98 99 are released from engagement with the ratchet-disk 54, the weight 54h will return the disk to its normal position.

The friction-roller 44 is mounted in the Vlshaped portion at the lower end ofthe numberwheel-engaging pawl 42, and the roller-44 engages with projections 41 on the periphery of the number-wheels 40. Integrally formed with the pawl 42 at its lower end isa pair of guide-legs 45, which straddle the numberwheel 40 and rest when the machine is in operation against the shaft 35, clearly shown in Fig. 6. Each pawl 42 is pendently mounted by bearings 46 upon the rod14'7, which rod 47 is held in bearings 47a on the arms' 48. The arms 48 are mounted upon and lsecured to a second rod or shaft 47 x, which is movable in bearings 47y. I may, if desired, fix a collar (not shown) to the rod 47 at each side of the bearings 46 to prevent the lateral movement IOO the weight of the arms 48 and pawls 42. To the horizontal portions 102 of the standards 102 I secure a board 103, which carries a selries of catches 104, each of which includes a flat disk portion 104, having a projecting wing 104b on its rear face, which projects ,K through apertures 103 in the board 103, as

clearly shown in Figs. and 6.

Fulcrumed at 104e to the bearing 104d is a downwardly-projecting portion 104, which is Ifs integrally formed `with the outer face of the disk 104?. L

To provide a rest for the drops 106, hereinafter again referred to, I provide a board 103",

'secured at right angles to the board 103.

- tions 102 of the standards 102 is formed with One end 102x of each of the horizontal porbearings 102, carrying arod 105, to which the indicating-drops 106 are pivoted, which drops 106, Vas will be seen by-reference to Fig. 5 of the drawings, each consists of a. bearing portion 106 and an arm 106", to which is secured a number-carrying plate 107 .i To cooperate with the iingers 106, adjustably secured to thev bearing portion of the pawls 42,

I provide slots 106c at the bearingends of the drops 106. The outer face of the indicatingplate I107 is countersunk, as at 10, to receive a number-bearing card, (not shown,) and each of the said plates 107 is also provided with a short stud 111, which when the indicator-drop 100 is raised engages the upper edge of the wing 104 to hold the drop in its elevated or indicating position, as shown in Fig. 6. Y V

rIhe mechanism for releasing the indicatordrops consists of al pair of parallelrods 112 dotted lines in 113, secured to move in unison by clamps 114.

The upper one, 112, of said rods passes through bearing portions 104f ofthe middle and end beari'ngs104, while the lower rod, 113, carries a handle 113X for moving the. rod 113 into engagement with the lower ends of thel members 104b to lrelease the drops 106 and allow the drops to fall, with the lower edges of the indicating-plates 107 resting upon the board 103x. p rI oprevent lateral movement of the drops 106, I fasten a collar 106R at each side of the bearing portions 106 thereof.

To the rod 117, which is mountedin bearings 115 on standards 116, is an arm 118, which carries at oneend a friction-.roller 118, adapted to normally engage a cam 119, adjustably secured to the peripheryof the motor-casing 11. A pair of downwardly-projecting arms 120 is secured to the rod 117, and the said arms carry attheir lower ends an insulatingstrip 120, upon which is secured-at suitable intervals a series of springs 120, which engage aseries of vertically-disposed springcontact members 121, mounted upon the base .gram Fig. 12.)

portion 122,I which consists of an insulating material. Horizontallysecured to the base 122 is a series of contact-plates 123, having -Y terminal, B, of each of the magneto-circuits is connected to each of the contacts 121, while the other terminal, C, connects with a series of binding-posts 125. The line-terminals from the alarm-boxes A,which include magnetogenerators G, connect to the binding-posts 125 126, the posts 126 being in electrical connection with the contact-plates 123. (See dia- In practice I may include a number of magneto-generator alarm-boxes a in each independent circuit, which controls a specific section of territory.

To one of the arms 48 or to any other suitable movable part of the apparatus I attach any suitable striker mechanism S, (shown diagrammatically in Fig. 6,) which maybe of any approved type, since the same forms no part of my invention.

Operation: Assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 5, with the cam 119 engaging the roller 118 to hold thev wheel 40, as shown in full-lines in Fig. 6. As-

the ratchet-disk 54 rotates in the direction of the arrow w, the lug 53 engages .thejspring 52 and rotates the rod or shaft sufciently to allow the latch 28 to be disengagedfrom the IOO heelportion22of the weight 2lv and permit the said weight to drop to the position shown in dottedlines in Fig., 2, with its stud 24 engaging the arm 69 of the shaft 65, overcrowd- IIO ing'the tension of the spring 67 suiciently the lug 88 of the disk 87 on thegovernorshaft 76 to set the machine in motion.4 -The spring 67 is normally held in engagement with the lug 68. Iaprovide a stop or fbuiijer; 150 to prevent theweight 21 dropping;'too far. Immediately after `the machine isstarted by the turning in of'analarm the cam 119 will pass out of engagement with the rollery 118 and allow the contacts .121.and 123 to separate, thereby cutting'out. the alarm-circuit which has turned in the alarm, together with all of the rest of the alarm-circuits Which-'cooperate with the machine. This prevents anyv interference with the striking of the gong and the operating of the machine by reason of the turning in of a second alarm either .to allow the arm 66 to be disengaged-from from the same box or from another box during the time the rst alarm is being struck. As the motor-casing 11 revolves in the direction indicated by the arrow, motion will be imparted to the shaft 35, which rotates, carrying with it all the number-wheels 40. Now since only the pawl 42 of the particular section of the machine set by the alarm iirst turned in is in engagement with its respective number-wheel, as shown in Fig. 6, one number or alarm will be struck uponthe gong and only one drop set. As the number-wheel 40 revolves in the direction of the arrow m on Fig. 6 the projections 41 on the numberwheel 40 will alternately engage the frictionroller 44 on the pawl 42, and in consequence thereof will raise and lower the pawl 42 a denite number of times and at definite intervals, depending on the number of projections 41 and their' correlative arrangement around the periphery of the number-wheel 40. This raising and lowering of the pawl 42 will cause the arms 48 to be rocked, and thereby operate the striker mechanism S. At the first elevating of the pawl 42 its iinger 106l will engage the under side of the portion 106b of the drop 106 and raise the same to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, with the stud 111 engaging the upper edge of the wing 1041) to hold the drop with its indicating-face exposed until released by bringing the rod 103 into engagement with and rocking the member 104. It should be understood that the number and arrangement of the number-wheel projections are different for each numberwheel, whereby to sound and set the proper signal for each fire district. Since the alarm first turned in at the box serves to set to the operative position its respective section of the machine and as all the operating-circuits of the system have been cut out, it follows that the remaining sections of the machine will continue in their relative inoperative position, (shown in Fig. 6;) but since all the pawls 49 are mounted upon the same rod 47, as one of the pawls moves up and down to rock the rods 48 all of the said pawls will move likewise in unison; but since only one pawl 42 is in en.

gagement with its number-wheel 40 the remaining number-wheels will not eifect the movement of their respective pawls during the striking of an alarm. I provide slots 106c in the portion 106b of the drops 106, so that the fingers 1061 of the inoperative pawls will pass through said slots lwhile the pawls are in the position shown in Fig. 6, and thereby prevent the inoperative pawls-ft'. e., those not in engagement with their respective numberwheels-from setting their l respective drops.

rlhe striker mechanism S, (see Fig. 6,) which may be of any approved type, is connected to any suitable part of the machine, preferably to one of the lever-arms 48. By varying the relative radii of the gears 24 24a the alarm may be repeated a number of times before the stopping of the motor.

By referring now more particularly to Figs. 2, 3, and 4 it will be noticed that as the motor-casing 11 revolves the lug 30 will engage the wing 23 of the weight 21 (see Fig. 3) to again raise the weight, carrying it to and beyond its vertical position to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 and resting against the stop 130 to permit the weight remaining in such position of its own accord.- However, it must be understood that before the lug 30 engages the wing 23 the lug 68 will become disengaged from the spring-arm 67, so as to leave the arm 66 out of engagement with the lug 88 on the disk 87. It is essential that the weight 21 remain in its` elevated position (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3) at this time, since the weight 21, lever-arm 55, and shaft 50 remain in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and in full lines in Fig. 3 during nearly the entire revolution of the motorcasing, and therefore the heel 22 of the weight 21 would not engage the latch 28 were the Weight permitted to drop. As soon as the lug 30 is moved through an angle of nearly three hundred and siXty degrees from its normal position (shown in Fig. 2) it will engage the under side of the lever-arm 55 and its cam 56, thereby raising the said arm 55 and rocking the shaft 50, which will cause the arm 60, through the medium of the rod 61 and arm 27, to rock the shaft 26 and again bring the latch 28 to its weight -heel engaging position. (Shown in Fig. 4.) rlhe rocking of the shaft 50 will cause the fingers 51 to engage the under pawls 99, which in turn engage the upper pawls 98 to release them from engagement with the ratchet-disk 54. As soon as the pawls 98 99 are released from the disk 54 the Weights 54h will return the ratchet-disks 54 to their normal positions and again disengage the operating-pawl 42 from its numberwheel 40. (See dotted lines, Fig. 6.) As the motor-casing is completing its rotation the lug 33 will engage the trip 32 and cause the pendent portion 31 thereof to engage the weight 21 to move it to its normal catch-engaging position, (shown in Fig. 4,) and at the same time the cam 119 will engage the collar 118 of the arm 118 to again close the contacts 121 against the contacts 123. The lug 68 as soon as the contacts 121 and 123 are closed will engage the spring-arm 67 and rock the rod 65 suf'ciently to bring the arm 66 into engagement with the lug 88 on the disk 87 to stop the machine.

It should be understood that while I have shown but a small number of sections capable of setting the same number of drops and strike the same number of alarms, yet l desire it understood that I may vary the number of sections as convenience and circumstances may require.

I may also place a number of alarm-boxes a within each circuit to control the given scc- IOO IIO

tion of district,'or'Imay have but one alarmbox Vin each circuit, as occasion may require.

Slight changes and modifications in the construction and detail arrangement of parts may be made Without departing from the scope of my invention and the appended claims.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought the complete operation and advantages of my invention Will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to Which it appertains.

Having thus described my invention,- what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- Y 1. A fire-alarm system comprising in combination With a plurality of electric circuits including alarm-boxes containing magneto-generators, of a mechanically-operated signaling mechanism adapted to be released vby one of said generators, and means for cutting out said electric circuits, for the purposes specified.

2. A re-alarm system comprising in combination With a plurality of electric circuits including alarm-boxes, of a signaling mechanism adapted to be set in operation by the turning in of an alarm, and means for cutting out all of the electric circuits immediately after the signaling mechanism is set in operation, for the purposes described.

3. A lire-alarm system, comprising in combination With a plurality of independently-operating electric. circuits, each including an alarm-box, of a signaling mechanism common to all of said circuits and adapted to be set in operation by the turning in of an alarm at any one of the alarm-boxes, and means for cutting out the circuit in which the alarm has been sent in immediately after the signaling mechanism is set in operation.

4:. A lire-alarm system, comprising in combination With aplurality of electric circuits including alarm-boxes and a signaling mechanism adapted to be set in operation by the turning of an alarm at one of the alarm-boxes,

means for cutting out all of the electric circuits iimnediately after the signaling mechanism is set in operation, and Vmeans for again cutting in the electric circuits immediately after the alarm is sounded, for the purposes described. y

5. In a Ere-alarm system, a plurality of independently-operated electric circuits, a signaling mechanism common to all of said circuits, said signaling mechanism adapted to be set in operation by the turning in of an alarm at one of the alarm-boxes, automatic means for cutting out all the electric circuits immediately after the signaling mechanism is set in operation, and means for automatically cutting in the electric circuits immediately after the signaling mechanism has ceased to operate.

6. A fire-alarm system, comprising in combination With electric alarm-box circuits containing magneto-generators, of a signal-setout said electric circuits during thestriking of an alarm.

7. In a fire-alarm system, including alarmbox circuits including current-generators, an indicating-mechanism, said indicating mechanism including a series of independently-controlled signal-setting and alarm-striking devices, a drive-motor common to all the signalsetting and alarm-striking devices, an independently-operated device for bringing said signal-setting and alarm-striking device into operative connection With the drive-motor, for the purposes described.

8. In a fire-alarm system including alarmbox circuits containing current-generators, an indicating mechanism, said indicating mechanism including a series of signal-setting and alarm-operating devices, a drive-motor common to all of the signal-setting and alarm-operating devices, an independently-operated device for bringing lthe signal-setting and alarmoperating devices into operative connection with the drive mechanism, said independentlyoperated devices each including a number- Wheel and a magneto-motor, for the purposes described.

9. In a fire-alarm, system, aplurality of independent electric circuits including currentgenerators, signal-setting and alarm-striking mechanism common to all of said circuits, said signal-setting and alarm-striking mechanism including magneto-motors, one for each of the alarm-circuits, a series of signal-setting devices controlled by said magneto-motor, a drive-motor common to all of said signal-setting devices, said drive-motor and said signalsetting devices adapted to be set in operation by the magneto-generator, of an alarm-circuit through Which the alarm is sent in, for the purposes speciied.

Witnesses:

VW. M. CooNEY,

I-Il. D. LEASE.

IOO

IIO 

